Halloween Safety Tips

Spookiest day of the year!

The following lists of Halloween safety tips are not to scare you from going trick or treating. They are here because we all want our TOT'ers to have a safe and memorable Halloween.

What a great holiday! You get to dress up in a really cool costume. Go door to door, begging for candy. Go home and gorge yourself in candy heaven! Ah, what a great tradition!

Just because trick or treating is not what it used to be doesn't mean that it still can't make great memories providing that we follow a few basic Halloween safety rules.

Make this holiday a fun, safe, and happy time for your kids with these Halloween safety tips and they'll carry on the tradition that you taught them to their own families some day!

Trick or Treating Safety Tips
Halloween Costume Safety Tips
Halloween Candy Safety
Safety Tips for Parents
Safety Tips for Adults

Trick or Treating Safety Tips

Remember the following Halloween safety tips for trick or treating.

Make sure all the TOT'ers and their escorts have flashlights. Flashlights will help you see better and to be more visible to cars and others. Make sure you have fresh batteries. Flashlights will help you see items in your path when walking on the sidewalk. Flashlights will help in locating items if you drop them. Other great alternatives to flashlights are glowsticks and reflective tape on costumes and trick or treat bags. Carry cell phones or coins for telephones so you can call home if needed. Teach children their home phone number and to how call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost. Remind them that 9-1-1 can be dialed free from any phone.

Plan your route and communicate with your group where you are going. Establish a beginning, middle and end point in case any members of the group get lost.

Stay in familiar neighborhoods. Only go to houses that have the outside lights on. Do NOT enter homes or apartments unless you are accompanied by an adult. Stay in well lighted areas. Don't cut through back alleys and fields. Stay in populated places and don't go off the beaten track. TOT'ers should stay together as a group if going out without an adult. Stay away from and don't pet animals that you don't know.

Young children should always be accompanied by an adult or an older, responsible child. All TOT'ers should walk, don't run from house to house. Don't cut across yards or lawns. There may be Halloween props and wires where you could trip and get hurt.  Don't walk in the middle of the street.  Stay on the sidewalks. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic. Obey traffic and pedestrian signals . Don't hide or run out from between parked cars. NEVER get into a stranger's car. Cross only at street corners. Look both ways before crossing the street. Don't assume the right of way. Just because one car stops doesn't mean the next one will.

Remove any mask or item that will limit your eyesight before crossing the street or while walking from house to house. Wear a watch you can read in the dark. Keep away from open fires and candles (costumes can be extremely flammable).

Halloween Costume Safety Tips

Here's some great Halloween safety tips for costumes to make it a very safe Halloween.

Help your child pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Purchase or make costumes that are light and bright to be clearly visible to motorists. Use reflective tape that will glow in a light beam as costume trim and decorations. Reflective tape is usually available in Walmart, Target, hardware, bicycle, and sporting goods stores.

When purchasing costumes and accessories, look for the label flame resistant or fire retardant. This label does not guarantee that the costumes won't catch fire but they will resist from burning and be able to extinguish quickly. To minimize the risk of contact with jack o'lantern flames and other candles, avoid big, billowy costumes. Costumes should be loose enough so that warm clothing can be worn underneath. Review with your children the principle of "Stop-Drop-Roll", should their clothes catch on fire.

Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground.  Knives, swords, scythes, pitchforks or other costume props should be soft and flexible enough should they trip and fall on them.

Avoid oversized shoes, high heels and long skirts or pants that could cause a child to trip and fall. Shoes should fit or stay secure on the foot.

The eye holes in masks should be large enough for good peripheral vision. Make sure that the mask does restrict breathing. Parents should try on the mask themselves. If it's uncomfortable or heavy on the face, chances are your child won't want to wear the mask either. Hats and scarves should be tied securely to prevent them from slipping over children's eyes.

If a child wears makeup, parents should look for non-toxic, hypoallergenic makeup kits. Check for packages containing ingredients that are labeled "Made with U.S. Approved Color Additives," "Laboratory Tested," "Meets Federal Standards for Cosmetics," or "Non-Toxic." Follow manufacturer's instruction for application.

An extra special Halloween safety tip is to secure emergency identification (name, address, phone number) discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet in case the younger ones get separated from their group.

Halloween Candy Safety

Children shouldn't snack while they're trick-or-treating. Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering. Though tampering is rare, closely look for signs of tampering such as small pinholes in wrappers and torn or loose packages. Throw away any spoiled or suspicious items.

Parents of small children should get rid of choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.

The best Halloween safety tip for candy is "when in doubt, throw it out".

Safety Tips for Parents

Who would ever think of serving your kids a filling meal before they go trick or treating as a good Halloween safety tip. You'll have a better chance of them bringing it home for you to inspect.

Ideally, young children of any age should be accompanied by an adult. If you can't take them, see if another parent or a teen aged sibling can go along. You should know the route of where they're going.

Older children should know where to reach you. Set a time limit of when they should be home. Make sure they know the importance of being home on time.

Explain to children the difference between tricks and vandalism. Make sure they understand to not destroy other people's property. This could ruin Halloween for you and others. If they are caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess and pay for any damages themselves.

Explain to your kids that animal cruelty is not acceptable. Kids may know this on their own but peer pressure can be a bad thing. Make sure that they know that harming animals is not only morally wrong but punishable by law and will not be tolerated.

Reinforce to your kids basic everyday Halloween safety tips such as, not getting into cars, talking to strangers, watching both ways before crossing streets, crossing when the lights tell you to.

Watch how much candy they eat when they get home. Too much can lead to stomach aches and indigestion. They will probably pretty wired on the "sugar fix" and not want to go to bed.

Have children get out of cars on the curb side, not on the traffic side.

Let your child have some say in their costume, within reason of course. Some clothing may be great inside at a party, but use common sense when they are outside in fall air (and in some areas, winter weather).

Safety Tips for Adults

All adults whether they have trick or treaters or not should also follow these Halloween safety tips.

Parents and adults should ensure the safety of pedestrian TOT's.

Remind all household drivers to drive slowly throughout the neighborhood. Watch for children in the street, darting between parked cars, and on medians. Exit driveways and alleyways carefully. Watch for children in dark clothing. Children are likely to choose the shortest route rather then the safest.

Take extra effort to eliminate tripping hazards on your porch, steps, and walkway. Check around your property for flower pots, low tree limbs, garden hoses, toys or bikes that may prove hazardous to young children rushing from house to house.

Remember Halloween safety tips can be for your pets as well. Confine, segregate or otherwise prepare household pets for an evening of frightful sights and sounds. Be sure that all dogs and cats are wearing collars and proper identification tags in case they get out of the house or yard.

Consider fire safety when decorating. Candlelit jack-o'-lanterns should be kept well away from porches and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame. Battery powered jack o'lantern candles are preferable to a real flame.

If using inflatable lawn decorations, place them off the walkway leading to your front door. Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.

I know that this is a pretty hefty Halloween safety tips list.

But it's our trick or treaters. Let's keep them safe!

Happy Haunting!

Source

Apps for Happy Haunting

Make 2012 your best Halloween yet with some of our favorite new apps for a spectacularly spooky holiday!

Apps for children- and parents- for a safe and fun Halloween.   Thank you webroot for the fun treat. 

Keeping kids safe

While trick-or-treaters should always be accompanied by an adult, the Trick or Tracker app is a great tool for keeping tabs of your older kids' whereabouts as they head out on Halloween night.
If you're home on doorbell duty this year, just install the app on both your phone and your child's phone. Synch them up by entering the same password on both devices, and you're all set. The app can now pinpoint your child's exact location via GPS technology, and you can rest easy knowing exactly what your little goblin is up to.

I ain't afraid of no ghost

If you're not a fan of trick-or-treating (or just don't have any candy-grubbing kiddos around), why not gather up your own ghoulish gang of buddies and head out on a good old-fashioned ghost hunt? With paranormal activity apps like Ghost Meter and Entity Sensor Pro, all the hypothetically haunted houses, abandoned plots and spooky stairwells you've ever wondered about suddenly come to life to scare the pants off of you and your friends.
While some apps claim to effectively measure changes in the electromagnetic field like their real-world counterparts, most of these programs are just for fun. Add some authenticity to your chase with the help of Ghost Guide USA, which touts thousands of historic haunted places and location-based urban legends, conveniently mapped out for your haunting pleasure.

Make a run for it

Need some motivation for burning off those extra candy calories? Just lace up your sneakers and download Zombies, run! for your iPhone or Android device—no blunt weapons required.
This unique, story-driven fitness app aims to get you in shape by putting the undead on your trail in a series of post-apocalyptic missions. When the zombies start to close in, your app let's you know—pick up the pace to avoid getting bit and becoming their next meal. While it's a littler pricier than some other fitness apps, it's a fun and totally unique way to get motivated and get moving.
 

Spook-proof security

Nothing's scarier than a personal data breach and all the digital carnage it can leave behind. That's why the most essential app you can download this Halloween is the Webroot Mobile Security apps for your Android or iOS devices!
Shop securely and block malicious sites with the Webroot Secure Web Browser for your iPhone and iPad or protect personal information from ghastly mobile threats with Webroot® SecureAnywhere™ Mobile, voted one of PCWorld's Best Free Android Apps of 2011.

Tricks to Help Learn the Facts

The 9 Times Quickie
1.Hold your hands in front of you with your fingers spread out.
2.For 9 X 3 bend your third finger down. (9 X 4 would be the fourth finger etc.)
3.You have 2 fingers in front of the bent finger and 7 after the bent finger
4.Thus the answer must be 27
5.This technique works for the 9 times tables up to 10.

The 4 Times Quickie
1.If you know how to double a number, this one is easy.
2.Simply, double a number and then double it again!

The 11 Times Rule #1
1.Take any number to 10 and multiply it by 11.
2.Multiply 11 by 3 to get 33, multiply 11 by 4 to get 44. Each number to 10 is just duplicated.

The 11 Times Rule #2
1.Use this strategy for two digit numbers only.
2.Multiply 11 by 18. Jot down 1 and 8 with a space between it. 1 --8.
3.Add the 8 and the 1 and put that number in the middle: 198

Deck 'Em!
1.Use a deck of playing cards for a game of Multiplication War.
2.Initially, children may need the grid (below) to become quick at the answers.
3.Flip over the cards as though you are playing Snap.
4.The first one to say the fact based on the cards turned over (a four and a five = Say "20") gets the cards.
5.The person to get all of the cards wins!
6.Children learn their facts much more quickly when playing this game on a regular basis.

Seeing the Patterns
1.Use a multiplication grid or let your students/children create one.
2.Look carefully at all of the patterns, especially when the numbers correspond with the facts e.g., 7X8 and 8X7 = 56
3.Let students/children practice the 'fast adding' which is what multiplication is.
4.When students can count by 3s, 4s, 5s 6s, etc. they will automatically know their multiplication tables.

This article is taken from http://math.about.com/library/bltricks.htm

Tricks to Get Out of the Homework Pits

 

Tricks to Get Out of the Homework Pits

And Treats That Got You There

 by Jennifer Benoit

 There are many reasons that you get into the Homework Pits.  We're going to cover a few of the most popular ones and some potential solutions for your family.  Pits come and go in homework and often show up at the beginning of the year or semester and at the end of the year or semester.  Sometimes when a student thinks she's got her grade "in the bag," homework can tend to slide.  See the treats that lead to the pits below.

• PIT #1:  Student “forgets” to bring homework home either on purpose...or not

  • Communicate what you expect from your child

  • Continue to keep contact with the teacher.  Ask the teacher to check the homework folder and backpack each day.  This may be a stretch for the teacher, but it is possible in very difficult situations

  • Set the homework time early every day and return to school if you have forgotten it before school closes.

  • Check the backpack with the child as soon as they get in the car or get off the bus.  This bottomless pit can be an empy pit at times!

  • Provide positive reinforcements when a child improves.  Keep a Success Calendar that keeps track of homework brought home and give a small reward when one week, two weeks, three weeks, have been reached.  This could be as small as staying up 15 extra minutes at night or watching a favorite movie on the weekend.

  • Give consequences if it is intentional.  This is a parent’s call.  Often a child needs to have something taken away or a privilege denied if she is refusing to bring homework home, but before any consequences, be sure you talk with the teacher and your child about trying to solve the problem first.  Maybe your child can’t get it together fast enough to remember everything.  Maybe he doesn’t like homework because he thinks he’s stupid.  Many of these behaviors have a root issue.

  • Have a strategy meeting with teacher (and student).  This can happen at any level…and should ALWAYS involve the child for most if not all of the meeting.  Teachers want students to succeed too and will often work their hardest to help make a plan that works…even if it is more work for them.

  • Get a weekly progress report from the teacher.  No matter what level, if a student knows the parent is going to check up on them, it does inspire some action.

 

• PIT #2:  Student Refuses to Do Homework

  • Discuss why with your student.  Maybe it doesn’t make sense.  Maybe it isn’t relevant in the student’s mind.  Maybe they just don’t want to bother.  Most of the time, though, in my experience, it is one of three things for older students.

1. The student is not confident in the material or she has a failing or close to failing grade and has given up.

2. The student does not understand the relevance of the homework and will “never use it.”  It is hard to deal with this logic, but helping your student recognize that grade point averages matter may help.

3. The student is angry and rebelling for some reason and is showing it this way.  Many times if a student feels stupid or is angry about other issues, homework goes undone as they try and handle the stresses.  Talking with the teacher and guidance counselor may uncover some stresses parents don’t know about.

• Strategy Meeting with Teacher – Always strategize with the teacher at any age when homework is undone.

 

• PIT #3:  Student does sloppy homework

  • Make your expectations high.  Don’t accept sloppy work from your child.  I had students redo until it looked respectable.  This will follow in life.

  • Suggest using technology.  Sometimes handwriting is a real issue with children so typing assignments are better ideas.  Talk with your child’s teacher about this.

  • Provide positive support and encouragement, but also consequences.  Not being able to watch their show until it is acceptable can work well.

 

• PIT #4:  Student consistently demands help in order to complete homework

  • Tell your student you know she can work on it alone.

  • Be conveniently “busy” in another room with a task that you can’t interrupt.

  • Reward good, honest effort with help.  Once she shows you she has tried it, help her.

  • Break the assignment into manageable tasks.  Sometimes students don’t know HOW to get started on assignments.  Be sure you break it down with them and review the directions if you need it.

  • Don’t give in.  I know it is sometimes easier said than done, but it will only get worse if you keep helping them every time they ask.

Reading tips for kindergarten through fifth grade

Expert tricks to improve your Kindergartner through 5th grader’s reading.

By Carol Lloyd

Kindergarten

Sometimes kindergartners skip an important step when learning to read— a crucial step that, if missed, makes reading harder later. In teacher speak, it’s called phonemic awareness, and it means learning that every word is a combination of sounds. Before kids learn to sound out words on a page, it’s best if they first get that every spoken word — big, small, or silly — is made up of sounds.
Do this: Practice breaking some spoken words into sounds. “What sounds are in cat?” you might ask your child. “Let’s say the word slowly together. Cat: kuh-a-tuh. Cat.” Don’t even worry about connecting this to the spelling of the word. (That’s another lesson.) After you’ve practiced with a few easy words, try some harder ones like breakfast or window. Again, don’t worry about linking this to a spelling or reading lesson. The important thing is for your child to feel confident in his ability to hear the sounds in words.
Read more about your kindergartner and reading.

First grade

For many kids, it’s a difficult transition to go from recognizing a few sight words to being able to sound out words in a simple but unfamiliar book. Teachers tell parents to have their children read with them every night, but how do you read with your child when she gets frustrated after painstakingly sounding out a single sentence? How do you get through a whole book?
Try this: Pick a storybook (not necessarily an early-reader book) that your child knows extremely well and have her read it to you aloud. Some of the book will no doubt be memorized, but she’ll also need to fall back on her decoding skills. Rhyming stories (like any of the Madeline series or Dr. Seuss books) work great because they have a musicality that makes them easy to memorize. This can give your early reader a taste of success, especially when even the simplest “I can read” books are mostly lessons in frustration.
Read more about your first grader and reading.

Second grade

At this age, children’s story comprehension may far exceed their technical reading skills. For instance, at this point your child probably knows a lot of sight words and has some general decoding skills, but she may not be able to read fast enough to really enjoy the story or even understand it.
How can you smooth the transition to reading for pleasure? Help your child jump to the next level by working on her automaticity. What does that mean? Help her grow her list of sight words, so that she’s not sounding out quite so much. You can start with a list of second grade sight words from us . Better yet: make your own based on your child’s reading.
Do this: Tell your child she’s going on a word hunt. Explain that the hunt will begin by her looking for (and catching) some of the sneaky words that give her trouble. Have your child read a few passages that may be just beyond her reading ability but are in stories she enjoys. Write down between 10 and 20 high-frequency words she has trouble with (or simply has to slow down to read). They might be strangely spelled words, like again, which, or knees, or longer, multi-syllabic but everyday words like because, necessary, and sometimes. After you’ve caught these wild words, capture them on flash cards to “tame” them. Have your child spend a little time every day studying these words until she gets to know them and they don’t give her trouble anymore.
Read more about your second grader and reading.

Third grade

For reading, this is a big year. Third graders are expected to go from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? As if by spending enough days sitting at their desks, third graders will magically make the switch. One day they’re soldiering through sounding out words, and the next they’re using books to conduct research, enjoy literature, and learn about the universe! For most kids, though, the transition from reading being the focus of learning to a tool for learning other things means a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. (Well, maybe not blood, but you get the point.)
What can you if your child finds this transition tough? It may be tempting to stop reading to your child and fixate on his “learning to read” weaknesses — by making him read aloud or by himself. But research suggests this would be a mistake. One study found that kids improve their reading faster by having challenging conversations that build vocabulary rather than by focusing only on decoding strategies.
Do this: Make sure your child doesn’t fall behind when it comes to reading to learn. Sure, he might not be able to crack open a reference book and find the right information for a science project, but that doesn’t mean he can’t learn the same information as the kid who’s already comfortable reading advanced texts. During this period, read challenging books aloud to him, use words he doesn’t know in conversation, and talk about big topics: world affairs, history, whatever he’s interested in. In other words, make sure your communication packs some serious learning power. That way, when his decoding skills finally catch up, he won’t be behind in learning what teachers call “context” — all the words, ideas, and information we need to become educated.
Read more about your third grader and reading.

Fourth grade

The reading demands on kids jump a level this year. Suddenly there are reports, multi-week projects, and — at the end of the year — anxiously anticipated standardized tests. It’s also the year that marks the rise of what’s sometimes called “shut-down learners.”  Kids who, for whatever mixture of reasons, have decided they hate school.
What does this have to do with reading? You might be surprised. At this age, kids begin to notice that reading groups have different levels of readers. They may be sensitive and feel that these learning tracks are unfair. This can happen even if children are basically on track with their reading. In fourth grade, reading abilities can vary widely — from kids who are just beginning the simplest chapter books to those who are reading novels aimed at teens. It’s also the point when most kids have a huge potential to learn about a topic in-depth. With the right mix of books, encouragement, and projects, fourth graders can become little scientists, gourmet cookie chefs, devoted artists, or thoughtful storytellers. The key is to help your child tap into his passions.
Try this: Spend a weekend morning finding the right books — this could mean a trip to a great library or bookstore or approaching someone with the same interests as your child for book recommendations. At this point, it’s not enough for your child to read only the stuff assigned at school. Nor should he just read the hot book all his friends are reading. He needs access to books that allow him to dive deep into his own special view of the world — and to see that, whatever happens in school, books are there for him.
Read more about your fourth grader and reading.

Fifth grade

Suddenly, this year kids are asked to read a wide range of materials, synthesize ideas, and formulate arguments in essays or reports. For a lot of children, this leap to analyzing reading material reveals weaknesses in their reading comprehension. In fact, even kids who seemed to be great readers (in terms of fluency and decoding) when they were younger might now confess that they understand little of what they read. So what can you do to boost reading comprehension at this age?
Try this: Have your child write a summary of everything he reads. For instance, if your child reads 20 to 30 minutes a night, have him spend the last five minutes summarizing what he’s read. If he balks at this, have him report to you what happened in the book and ask him a few key questions. This will make reading comprehension not something he only does when a writing assignment comes along but a daily, almost instinctual habit.
Read more about your fifth grader and reading.

Carol Lloyd is the executive editor of GreatSchools and mother to two raucous daughters, ages 7 and 11.

Why Your Student May Not Like Homework

 

Why Your Student May Not Like Homework

Posted by Jennifer Benoit

Homework can be a burden to many students.  Helping them to understand the motivation behind homework and their motivations are helpful.  However, homework can also be a chore or cause stress for other reasons.  Read below about how homework can be a motivating or demotivating.

 

1.  Confusion – many students may be missing holes in their learning because of illness, comprehension issues, a stressful time in their lives, or even poor teaching.  Because of this, they are confused by the current homework and the current concepts.  Getting help both in school by teachers and out of school by a tutor can be the best solution to this issue.  Another good reason for confusion is that the homework does not match the concepts covered in class.  In this case, the teacher is assigning homework without teaching it ahead of time.  Therefore, students are generally right to be confused.  This should seldom happen and the teacher should be notified (preferably by the student) if this happens.

 

2.  Wrong Level – This happens more in the upper grades than the lower grades, but many students are on an aggressive track when the speed of the course may be too aggressive.  This happens often with honors students because there is the mis-assumption that students who are capable in one honors class should go in an honors “track.”  That is ­not necessarily true.  If you or your student feels he should move to a different level, do so after trying tutoring, getting extra help, and talking with the school.  Many times, the math classes are setting students up for college so be sure that you are not giving up opportunities that your student can use in the future.

 

3.  New school and/or New teachers – When school first starts in any grade, students have a tough time with the new “level” of homework.  This can be de-motivating and stressful for everyone, but eventually things calm down and students and parents adjust to the new homework.  There are a few levels where students no longer are able to just quickly go through their homework.  Usually this is around 3^rd or 4^th grade, the beginning of middle school, and the beginning of high school.  The elementary grade reason is because students now have more writing assignments at night.  In middle school, they have more assignments from different teachers, and in high school, they have multiple teachers and unfamiliar subject areas.  Something to keep in mind at the start of the school year.

 

4.  Worry or Inviting Failure – An outlook on homework can be very negative when there is a personality trait more inclined towards worry or failure.  Sometimes the attitude of the student is the biggest boulder in the way of success.  In this case, discussing the attitude and worry by addressing some solutions or even talking to a guidance counselor may help.  Although it is natural to worry and feel like there are moments of failure, if you see your child worrying or has a bleak outlook often, talk to your pediatrician or guidance counselor.

 

5.  Lack of Goals – Again, this is with older students often.  When they are unsure what their future holds, or what they “want to do when they grow up,” they can see no reason for homework.  Discussing the future and the fact that this homework/class can open doors of opportunity to them is critical, but let them have some say in the final decision of certain classes.  For example, after taking Latin for three years, I was facing a fourth year of complete translation.  As a future teacher, I did not see how this fourth year would help, so I talked with the guidance counselor and eventually the principal to discuss using the time to take a business and typing course.  The interesting end to the story is that both subjects served me well.  Typing is critical to anyone’s success these days and I was hired for my first full time teaching job because I knew Latin and could teach it.  You never know what subjects you may use in the future, but talk with your child about goals and if they are very opposed to a class or subject, discuss why and consider exchanging the class for a different one is possible.

 

6.  Outside Influence – We can’t always pick our children’s friends, but from the very beginning, we can help our children understand that friends can influence behavior.  If you have a student who doesn’t do homework because her friends don’t, rethink those friendships with your child and how they are determining your child’s future.  Friends should not have that much power.  Talk to your child about starting a study group or finding a way to enjoy friends, but not letting them influence their future in a negative way.

 

7.  Lack of Parent/School Communication – Parents want the best for their children and sometimes things can get very busy.  When parents assume that children are “set” for homework and the grades are looking OK for the time, they become a little more relaxed and sometimes homework time gets pushed to the bottom of the pile.  As a parent, you don’t have to sit with your child every night, but you do have to know a few things and be on top of their grades.  Know what their homework is if you see some grades slipping and know how to see their grades online if that is possible.  Communicate with teachers promptly when there is an issue and be sure to let the teacher know how he or she can communicate with you promptly.  Creating a closed circle where no communication is lost is critical.  Also, knowing the homework policies and how grades are calculated (late assignments, class participation, etc), is essential to being able to communicate with the teacher.  Be as informed as you can be in case there is an issue.

History of Labor Day.

History .com

Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894. Labor Day also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, and is celebrated with parties, parades and athletic events.

 Labor Day, an annual celebration of workers and their achievements, originated during one of American labor history’s most dismal chapters. In the late 1800s, at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the United States, the average American worked 12-hour days and seven-day weeks in order to eke out a basic living. Despite restrictions in some states, children as young as 5 or 6 toiled in mills, factories and mines across the country, earning a fraction of their adult counterparts’ wages. People of all ages, particularly the very poor and recent immigrants, often faced extremely unsafe working conditions, with insufficient access to fresh air, sanitary facilities and breaks.

As manufacturing increasingly supplanted agriculture as the wellspring of American employment, labor unions, which had first appeared in the late 18th century, grew more prominent and vocal. They began organizing strikes and rallies to protest poor conditions and compel employers to renegotiate hours and pay. Many of these events turned violent during this period, including the infamous Haymarket Riot of 1886, in which several Chicago policemen and workers were killed. Others gave rise to longstanding traditions: On September 5, 1882, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first Labor Day parade in U.S. history. The idea of a “workingmen’s holiday,” celebrated on the first Monday in September, caught on in other industrial centers across the country, and many states passed legislation recognizing it.

Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later, when a watershed moment in American labor history brought workers’ rights squarely into the public’s view. On May 11, 1894, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives. On June 26, the American Railroad Union, led by Eugene V. Debs, called for a boycott of all Pullman railway cars, crippling railroad traffic nationwide. To break the strike, the federal government dispatched troops to Chicago, unleashing a wave of riots that resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen workers. In the wake of this massive unrest and in an attempt to repair ties with American workers, Congress passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories.

More than a century later, the true founder of Labor Day has yet to be identified. Many credit Peter J. McGuire, cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, while others have suggested that Matthew Maguire, a secretary of the Central Labor Union, first proposed the holiday.

Labor Day is still celebrated in cities and towns across the United States with parades, picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays and other public gatherings. For many Americans, particularly children and young adults, it represents the end of the summer and the start of the back-to-school season.